


Yule market

by Rogercat



Series: Ancalagon the cat [15]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Allergy Reaction, Christmas Shopping, F/M, Family Drama, Fourth Age, Gen, Married Couple, Winter, bad gifts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:48:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27976884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogercat/pseuds/Rogercat
Summary: even at a winter market far from home, Eärendil and Ancalagon still causes drama
Relationships: Celegorm | Turcafinwë & Sons of Fëanor, Dior Eluchíl/Nimloth of Doriath, Maedhros | Maitimo & Maglor | Makalaurë
Series: Ancalagon the cat [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633960
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	Yule market

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lidoshka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lidoshka/gifts), [Nuredhel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nuredhel/gifts), [Umeko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Umeko/gifts).



It was not often that Dior and Nimloth traveled north, but this time they wanted to explore the famed winter markets of northern Valinor, where the formerly Exiles among the Noldor made sure to not forget the mortal cultures of Middle-earth. 

“It's for some fun outside what we normally do, not to make any political point.” 

Both of them knew too well that Thingol and many other Elves from Doriath had protested against that, mostly because they honestly wanted the Sons of Fëanor and their followers back in the Halls of Mandos because not everyone had forgiven the Kinslayings yet, only for the reborn Fëanorians and their various cousins actually team up in a surprising way to loudly explain that this was a perfect chance to remember those long gone and why make this dumb fuss over a planned annual  _ market? _

“I think grandfather really just wants them back in the Halls so there is no fear about possible killings again...Anca, get back down in your travel bag so we do not lose you!” 

Ancalagon had insisted on joining his owners this time, and due to them choosing to ride, he sadly had to travel in a manner that was not exactly comfortable but Dior and Nimloth knew that the feline would never be able to keep up with the horses if he was allowed to run on the ground. 

~X~X~X~X~X~X 

Despite their past history with the royal family of Doriath, it was actually the Sons of Fëanor who were the hosts of Dior and Nimloth this time. Mainly because while the married couple had managed to get a better reputation among the Noldor by keeping themselves out of politics and agreeing that the whole Quest for the Silmaril were a great love story but a political disaster in the longer turn because neither Beren or Luthien had seemed to realize how their actions may affect others around them. 

“Ancalagon came along, I see,” Celegorm smiled at seeing the black feline as the guests and the whole family gathered together for a small, welcome-meal after the journey. 

“As if the Yule markets in the big cities have anything new to this kind of annual markets after several centuries. Sure, new craftsmen and products, but often it is very alike something that is already a classic in itself. And since we Elves are immortal, it is not like a new generation is replacing an older one. I am not alone in worrying about that it one day may be too many people selling the same things in different markets and that a such situation may lead to unspoken battles to become the customers' preferred seller,” Fëanor spoke during the meal, this was something he and others in the so called “Exiled generations” had noticed with time as Valinor now was the only place where Elves could be found in Arda and new generations had been born. 

“Like how wealthy nobles at court sometimes are willing to pay extra money to make famous designers make new and very expensive robes and dresses for them first, ahead of everyone else.”

Recalling some of the court clothes that Thingol had sent them to wear in the very unlikely scenario of them returning to become members of his royal court, Nimloth felt even more grateful for that they had chosen a quiet life after rebirth. 

Ancalagon seemed to have found a new favorite Elf in Maedhros after the first meeting and proved it by laying down in his lap, which the red haired Elf did not seem to mind. 

“We are mostly going to look for Yule gifts for our servants and the boys. Practical things, not anything like those horrible stuff Elwing insists on sending us every winter or begetting day.”

Dior shuddered in memory of that awful, thick necklace with massive gemstones that Nimloth had gotten last year at Yule from their daughter together with a set of heavy books with endless walls of texts for him that proved impossible to read because his dyslexia made his head spin whatever he even tried one of the first pages, proving just how badly Elwing really knew their personal tastes because she never learned to ask what they would like to get, unlike Eluréd and Elurín who took the safe idea of some home-made sweets and one-coloured fabrice for new clothing that could be sewn at home. 

“I am sure that you will find something that you are looking for.” 

  
  
  


The next day, with Ancalagon following after them and Dior bringing a backpack to carry the cat in if they were out in the market for several, they started their search. 

“Would this cake tin fit our cook, you know? I think she would like to have some new variants on a cake tin instead of having to cut out the shape from the finished cake,” Dior wondered at seeing a rose-shaped cake tin beside some others shaped like a lotus, a large key and a horse shoe of all things. 

“Yes. No star, since it would remind of a _ certain son-in-law _ that we would prefer to avoid contact with,” Nimloth agreed at seeing the cake tins her husband had found at this stand. 

As they walked around on the markets, both the salespeople and their customers showed sursprice over seeing Ancalagon not many steps behind his owners, but many also gave compliments about what a handsome fellow he was. 

~X~X~X~X~X~X 

Being winter, the daylight was not out for many hours and soon the many candles were lit. Ancalagon had fallen asleep inside the backpack Dior wore, so Nimloth had to carry some of the stuff they had brought. 

“Great, we found everything we looked for! The scented soaps that are always nice, some new kitchen items, and even those two signet rings that we commissioned from Celebrimbor!” 

The grandson of Fëanor never crafted rings since the whole disaster with the Rings of Power, but signet rings were a rare exception if he got a good explanation for that kind of order. In this case, it was because Dior and Nimloth wanted to ensure that their personal letters would not be lost among other written communications to Thingol like so often in the past. 

Suddenly, they heard two voices that really, really should  **_NOT_ ** be heard here in the northern lands of Valinor where the House of Fëanor lived now in the Fourth Age. 

“Why are Eärendil and Elwing here?!” Nimloth hissed softly in worry, feeling that this would not end well, something which Dior shared. Their daughter and son-in-law were among those not welcomed here, for various reasons. And even if they both wore cloaks and other forms of disguise like dying Eärendil's give-away blonde hair black like his wife, it was not so easy to mask their voices for people who knew them. And surely Eärendil would not be so stupid as bringing the Silmaril here, which the Fëanorians would see as a mockery since direct touch of the Silmaril was no longer possible for them.

“....surely mother and father should like this!”

Showing her husband what she intended for her parents, Elwing revealed it to be yet another bad idea of gifts: a fancy silk dress for Nimloth that would crash horribly with her dark skin tone because of the dress colour, and what seemed to be one of the awful romance novels that Dior hated. 

“How about  **_NOT_ ** giving us anything this year when you never seem to notice what we want?” Nimloth asked loudly, hands on her hips after setting down the brought items in the snow. getting the attention of the two half-elves. 

“Mother! Father! Now I have to find another set of Yule gifts when you have seen those!” Elwing protested like a child when the first shock over seeing them had passed. Dior would respond to her, when he felt a most unwanted scent in the air. Undoubtly, Eärendil had once again eaten peanuts not too long ago. 

“How many times do we have to tell you about my peanut allergy?!” 

As he started to wheeze and cough, Dior tossed his backpack to Eärendil. At first, the former prince of Gondolin was confused over that action, then realized why when an annoyed set of yellow eyes revealed themselves for him in the opening. 

“ _ MEEEEEEEEW!!! _ ” 

As always, Ancalagon proved why his owners had named him so well, when he jumped out of the backpack with a really loud hissing and limbs splayed, ready to once again scare Eärendil half to death. 

“AAAAAAAAH!!!” 

“You brought that  **_DRAGON CAT_ ** here?!” Elwing screamed, using the not so flattering name Eärendil called Ancalagon out of earshot of his parents-in-law, but since Nimoth focused on getting Dior away so his allergy would not be triggered too much, she got no answer from her parents. And naturally, the high-pitched cry of terror from Eärendil as Ancalagon chased him in the other direction and Elwing following them, caught attention. 

“What is going on here?” Maglor asked as he came running in the front of some guards, in case it was some form of trouble happening during the market. 

“Eärendil and Elwing are here, Maglor, likely in the hope of escaping your watchful eyes while shopping another set of poorly chosen Yule gifts for us two. Anca chased Eärendil away because he triggered Dior's peanut allergy again,” Nimloth explained as she gently moved her husband towards the nearest house with a healer trained by Elrond. 

“I will get Nelyo, then.” 

Maglor knew that Elwing feared him and Maedhros the most, given that they had been the longest survivors of their family back in the First Age after the rest had fallen in the Second and Third Kinslaying. 

  
  


Elwing was found rather quickly, and escorted out from the area by some soldiers to ensure that she did not return. But Eärendil had somehow vanished, yet with how Ancalagon was able to chase him around their own home for several hours if he wanted, Nimloth and Dior did not doubt that their cat had managed to force the son of Idril and Tuor into a hiding place that he could not leave for as long as Ancalagon was watching the possibly sole escape route. 

~X~X~X~X~X~X 

It was only the next morning, as they found out the riddle about where Eärendil had vanished: 

Near the top of the big spruce that stood in the middle of the main square, pretty stiff in his arms and legs after clinging to the trunk of the spuce over the long night since Ancalagon had been on a nearby branch watching him and not letting him move much. It was his dark clothes in the intended disguise, and the dark hair dye had also prevented him from being seen unless someone looked up towards the top. 

“Now this is yet another proof of Anca being a very clever cat, indeed. Preventing someone from escaping his watch and from makíng noises to be noticed!” Celegorm commented with a grin as he climbed up to bring down the huge feline so Eärendil could be removed from the area as well. Ancalagon was carefully lowered down to his owners in a nice wicker basket though the use of a rope, but Eärendil found himself more or less kicked down to the ground when Celegorm found him not moving down fast enough. 

“Get out and do not come back here,” Maedhros snarled at Eärendil, dragging him off in his cloak. 

“Sorry for our daughter and son-in-law causing trouble when all we planned was some holiday shopping here on the marker,” Dior apologized to Nerdanel, who did not view it as their fault. 

“No, no. They are grown adults and should realize that breaking stated rules will never end well. Now, come and enjoy the last day as our guests. And Ancalagon will have a nice treat for revealing the uninvited people.” 

In short, the cat had impressed more people than before. 


End file.
